1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to hats that can be temporarily or permanently formed using a wide variety of fabrics that match or complement one""s ensemble by wrapping and tucking peripheral portions of one or more selected pieces of fabric about a relatively stiff yet pliable annular brim core member after central portions of the selected piece or pieces of fabric have been shaped to define a crown of the hat. In its simplest form, the present invention provides a way in which hats can be quickly and easily formed for one-time wearing from fabric that matches or complements one""s outfit by positioning a central portion of a piece of fabric over the crown of one""s head to define the crown of a hat, positioning a generally annular shaped brim core member over the fabric covered crown of the head at a location where the hat is to have a brim, and covering the brim core member with such peripheral portions of the fabric as depend beneath the location of the brim core member by wrapping a first part of these peripheral portions to extend outwardly from the fabric covered crown of the head across the bottom surface of the brim core member, a second part to extend upwardly around the outer periphery of the brim core member, a third part to extend inwardly across the top surface of the brim core member, and a fourth part to be retainingly engaged by the inner periphery of the brim core member. In more complex forms of the invention, one or more crown shaping members can be put in place before the central portion of a piece of fabric is shaped to define the crown portion of a hat, the brim core member can be preconfigured or shaped and styled during hat formation to provide hats of a variety of appearances, and the brim core member can be provided with formations 1) that enhance brim flexibility or fit, 2) that assist in holding the fabric in securely retained engagement with the inner periphery of the brim core member, and/or 3) that assist in holding the fabric covered hat in place on the wearer""s head. Unless the selected fabric used to form a hat is permanently affixed to the brim core member, the brim core member may be reused with other pieces of fabric to provide other hats that match or suitably complement other ensembles.
2. Prior Art
While it is known to specially make ladies"" and mens"" hats from flexible cover fabric that is selected to match or to complement the appearance of one""s ensemble, specially made hats tend to be costly when ordered from a professional supplier. Inasmuch as the work involved in specially making a hat can prove tedious and may require skills that tax the abilities of the average person, the making of hats on a xe2x80x9cdo it yourselfxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9cat homexe2x80x9d basis has often proven to be impractical.
While a variety of simplifications in the design of hats have been proposed in an effort to provide methods and means that enable those skilled in crafts to make their own hats using fabrics that match or complement one""s ensembles, prior proposals have met with relatively little success in the marketplace due to their complexity, their cost and their failure to offer a flexible variety of attractive hat styles. A long-standing need for a simple approach that will enable a variety of hat styles to be formed on a xe2x80x9cdo it yourselfxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9cat homexe2x80x9d basis by those who do not necessarily have good crafting skills, using inexpensive materials that can be reused, has gone unsatisfied by prior proposals.
The present invention addresses the foregoing and other drawbacks of the prior art by providing hats that are simply formed utilizing a minimum number of relatively low-cost components, and that offer flexibility of design as well as flexibility in the character of the fabrics that can be utilized.
A feature of the approach taken by the present invention to provide hats that can be simply, easily and relatively inexpensively formed on a xe2x80x9cdo it yourselfxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9cat homexe2x80x9d basis is that, unless the components of a particular hat are permanently connected (as may be desired if a particular hat is to be repeatedly worn, or if the hat will need to be removed and put back in place on one""s head repeatedly during a single wearing), the components can be reused to make other hats, and the fabric may be reused even for other purposes inasmuch as it is in no way damaged when hats are temporarily formed for single wearing use.
In one simple form of the invention, a hat is formed from a relatively stiff yet pliable, generally annular brim core member formed at least in large part from relatively thin material and having an inner periphery, an outer periphery, and oppositely facing upper and lower surfaces that extend between the inner and outer peripheries, wherein the inner periphery is adapted to extend perimetrically about a lower part of a crown of a head of a person who is to wear the hat; and a piece of flexible cover fabric having a central portion adapted to cover at least a large part of the crown of the head of said person, and having a peripheral portion that extends about the central portion and is adapted to cover the brim core member when the brim core member is positioned to extend perimetrically about the lower part of the crown of the head of said person at a time when the central portion is covering at least said large part of the crown of the head of said person, wherein the peripheral portion has a first part that connects with and extends outwardly from the central portion to cover the lower surface, a second part that connects with the first part and extends upwardly to cover the outer periphery, a third part that connects with the second part and extends inwardly from the outer periphery to cover the upper surface, and a fourth part that connects with the third part and is retainingly engaged by the inner periphery. Any remainder of the peripheral portion may be tucked between the lower surface and the first part, and/or may be utilized in the vicinity of the inner periphery to further enhance the appearance of the resulting hat.
In another simple form, the invention includes a method of forming a hat, comprising the steps of: providing an annular hat brim core member configured to extend perimetrically about a base of a crown portion of a head of a person who is to wear the hat, wherein the annular hat brim core member has top and bottom surfaces on opposite sides thereof that are interconnected by an inner periphery and an outer periphery; providing flexible fabric material having a central portion of sufficient size to cover an upwardly extending the crown portion of the head of the person who is to wear the hat, and having a peripheral portion of sufficient size to extend perimetrically about the central portion to cover exterior surface portions of the hat brim core member when the hat brim core member is positioned to extend perimetrically about a lower part of the central portion; forming the central portion of the flexible fabric material to define a configuration that conforms to the shape of and can serve as a cover for the upwardly extending crown portion of the head of the person who is to wear the hat, with the peripheral portion depending from the lower part thereof; positioning the brim core member to extend perimetrically about the lower part of the central portion; and, wrapping the peripheral portion of the flexible fabric material to extend from the inner periphery across the bottom of the brim core member to the outer periphery, upwardly across the outer periphery, inwardly from the outer periphery to the inner periphery, and into retaining engagement with the inner periphery, for example by extending downwardly between the inner periphery and the crown of the hat. Any remainder (i.e., xe2x80x9cexcessxe2x80x9d or non-essential part of the peripheral portion) may be tucked into a space between the bottom of the brim core member and such fabric as covers the bottom of the brim core member, or may be used in the vicinity of the inner periphery to further enhance the appearance of the resulting hat.
Flexibility can be added to the inner peripheral region of the brim core member by utilizing a rubber band or other resilient member to define the inner periphery, or by providing arcuate portions of the brim core member that are only intermittently connected to other parts of the brim core member about the inner peripheral region. Slits can be provided at selected locations in the brim core member to enhance its flexibility and its ability to be shaped, as desired, in an effort to stylize the resulting hat. More than one piece of fabric may be used to define the crown of the hat and/or to cover the brim of the hat, to give contrasting colors or to provide a way in which one-sided fabrics (such as chair covering and wall hanging fabrics) can be used to attractively cover both the crown and the brim of a hat. And, inwardly extending projections can be provided along the inner periphery to enhance the fit of the hat on a wearer""s head and/or to help in retaining the hat on a wearer""s head.